True and Fascinating Canadian History
Vet of the Month: September, 2020
Reg.#5111, Staff Sergeant Charles Richardson. WWI
RCMP Headquarters, London, ON
This short story is dedicated to the memory of Reg.#5111, Staff Sergeant Charles Richardson who once served with the Royal North West Mounted Police (RNWMP) and also in WWI.
I am very appreciative to Inspector Andrew Cowan for sending me the tale about a set of four RCMP medals which were once awarded to long deceased Staff Sergeant Charles Richardson. Some years ago, the medals were lost, but they recently reappeared and they were turned over to the RCMP in London, Ontario. Inspector Cowan's investigative work will soon result in the medals being reunited with Charles Richardson's ancestors. Inspector Cowan entitled his story, "The Mystery of RCMP Medals and A Family to Find."
"The presentation of honours and medals by a country has always been special because medals recognize the performance, honour, courage and professionalism of the recipient. Even though many years have passed, the family of the recipient still cherish memories associated with the medals as well as the circumstances for which the medals were awarded.
This is a short story about the discovery of some RCMP medals which had once been awarded to long ago deceased Royal North West Mounted Police (RNWMP) Reg.#5222, Charles Richardson, and how I was able to find his ancestors.
In September, 2020 a box of RCMP paraphernalia was returned to the “O” Division Headquarters in London Ontario by the spouse of a deceased RCMP member. In the bottom of the box I found a set of four RCMP medals which were old and well worn, but the ribbons attached to the medal were tattered, discoloured and in need of repair. At first, I thought the medals could eventually find a home in the ‘O’ Division Mess and be put on display for everyone to admire.
The set consisted of two medals from WWI (the British War Medal and the Victory Medal), another appeared to be a King George V Jubilee Medal and the fourth was an RCMP Long Service Medal (LSM). It too displayed the image of King George V. The WWI medals were both inscribed with C. Richardson’s WWI C.E.F. #2772535 and the RCMP LSM was also inscribed with C. Richardson’s name. I wondered to myself if I could somehow find the family of Charles Richardson and perhaps return the medals to his ancestors.
At the time, I was surrounded with bureaucratic paperwork; forms, requests for PPE and COVID cleaning supplies but I also realized that the discovery of the RCMP medals opened an opportunity for me to embark on an investigation and make me feel like an operational police officer. Armed only with a 1999 Canadian Police College basic internet searching course certificate from years ago while working as a general duty member, I began my search on the RCMP Graves Discovery Database founded by retired Superintendent Joe Healy. Joe’s site held a treasure trove of information, and within a moment or two, I confirmed that Reg.#5111 belonged to deceased Royal North West Mounted Police (RNWMP) S/Sgt. Charles Richardson.
Staff Sergeant Richardson was born in 1888. He joined the Force at Regina, Saskatchewan on July 7, 1910 and he went on to serve in “F” (SK), “K” (AB) and “H” (NS) Divisions. He retired on November 30, 1937, and passed away in 1970. Charles Richardson was buried in Nova Scotia. I also discovered that Charles Richardson once served with the RNWMP in B Squadron with the Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force (CSEF). In 1919, B Squadron set out for Vladivostok, Russia during the Russian Revolution. Their objective was to bolster the allied presence, oppose the Bolshevik Revolution and attempt to keep Russia in the fight against Germany. Composed of 4,192 soldiers and authorized by the Canadian government in August, 1918, CSEF ranks included RNWMP Reg.#5111, Sergeant Charles Richardson.
As my research of the medals continued, I also learned that S/Sgt. Richardson had two sons in the Force; Reg.##12857, W. C. Richardson and Reg.#15238, G. L. Richardson. One son passed away in 2009 and the other in 2010. I searched the 411 Canadian phone directory and it led me to a resident living in Almonte, Ontario. At first the person on the other end did not believe my identity but after a little convincing the person said that he was the grandson of Charles Richardson and the nephew of William and George Richardson. The family connection spoke about growing up with memories of an RNWMP horse blanket being used around the family home in Nova Scotia and tales of his two RCMP uncles who served on the Prairies many years ago. I felt relieved that I had found the ancestors of Charles Richardson.
With the help of Ontario Provincial Police Sergeant Patrick Armstrong and Heritage Medal Service, the ribbons are now being redone and the medals are being professionally mounted. In the coming months, the medals and any other historical information which can be gathered from Service Files will be given back into the care of the Richardson family. The question of how the medals ever found their way into the bottom of a box of RCMP kit in London, Ontario may always be a mystery.
Many thanks to Joe Healy and to members of the RCMP Veterans Association in ‘O’ Division, ‘E’ Division and ‘D’ Division who spent countless hours doing research for rcmpgraves.com which allowed this basic internet investigator to do some measure of real police work if not at least for a day. The set of medals can now be returned to the family of Charles Richardson where they will be reunited with fond memories of their RNWMP relative."
were once awarded to Reg.#5111, Staff Sergeant Charles Richardson. RNWMP
Reporting from Fort Healy,
J. J. Healy
September 23, 2020
